Miramar, FL – For the third straight year, Miramar Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis, is incorporating several exciting events to celebrate Reggae Month and Black History Month celebrations, under the overarching theme: ‘Black History Meets Reggae’.

February is celebrated as Black History Month as well as Reggae Month, which highlights Jamaica’s music, culture and heritage.  Commissioner Davis is, the Jamaican-American in Florida, leading the charge with the support of Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, as well as the island’s Consul General to Miami,  Oliver Mair, who was present at the February 2 launch of Black History Meets Reggae at Miramar’s City Hall.

Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis

Commissioner Davis and Consul General Mair are working closely with other agencies to highlight some of the events as part of the official Jamaica 60th Diamond Jubilee celebration and have fully energized the city, which boasts one of the largest Jamaican populations in Florida.

For 2022, Commissioner Davis is presenting three consecutive days of activities and is urging the community, to join the festivities, which include an award show, a sound clash and a music festival.

“We want to keep our culture alive outside of Jamaica and having an entire month to celebrate Reggae and Jamaica is a wonderful way to do it, stated Davis. “It’s important to have something locally that folk here in the diaspora can participate and enjoy”, Davis said.

Consul General Mair noted that “The Jamaican Consulate is happy to once again partner with the City of Miramar and the Black History meets Reggae initiative. We believe, as Bob Marley says, that ‘music is going to teach them a lesson’,  and Reggae music has many lesson that we have  taught to the world that are so appropriate here, especially during February, which is Reggae Month and Black History Month. Reggae music has been a beacon of hope for many around the world. We have had several messages of equal rights and justice for all, that is very timely as people of the world continue to grapple with issues of injustice and racial tension. So, we welcome stalwarts Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Burning Spear and Jimmy Cliff and the lot who have championed human rights all over the world.” 

REGGAE ICON AWARDS

On Thursday, February 24, the Miramar Cultural Center, 2400 Civic Center Place, will play host to the Reggae Icons Awards, a glitzy, red carpet affair, which was first staged in February 2020.  This year’s special awardee is reggae icon the Hon. Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley, who is the recipient of the new Jamaica 60th Legacy Award.

Reggae band, Inner Circle; Radio Host Clinton Lindsay will be honoured with the Reggae Icon Award while former Broward County Commissioner and Mayor Dale VC Holness will be honoured with the Marcus Garvey Award. A special proclamation will be given to the widow of Bob Marley and matriarch of the Marley family, Rita Marley. The organizers note that limited free tickets are available at  http://bhmriconawards22.eventbrite.com.

The Icon Awards gets underway at 6:30 pm, and will see Sharon Marley performing a tribute to her mother Rita and Skip Marley performing a tribute to his grandfather, Bob. Emcees for the evening will be Judge Norman Hemming and Jamaica 60 Social Media Ambassador, Comedian Julie Mango. Performances will be by reggae songstress Suzanne Sultry, tenor Steve Higgins as well as Jamaican Country Western Reggae Artiste “Wesrok”, and Saxophonist Joseph Tapper.

RUMBLE IN MIRAMAR

On Friday, February 25, the Good Vibes Concert Series will host the first staging of a one-of-a-kind Reggae Sound Clash Edition at the Shirley Bianca Park, 6900 Miramar Parkway. Rumble in Miramar, a winner-takes-all sound clash which is already causing a loud buzz with a whooping first prize of US$2,000.  Notable selector Tony Matterhorn will make a Celebrity appearance and act as a contest judge.

AFRO CARIB FESTIVAL

The Afro Carib Festival, which turns the spotlight on Reggae, Afrobeats and Reggaton genres, brings the curtains down on Saturday, February 25th at the Miramar Amphitheatre, 16801 Miramar Parkway.  The even gets to a rocking start at 7 p.m. and features Protoje, Afro B and Eix. Ticket prices starts at $15 and are on sale at Ticketmaster.

“The Afro Carib Festival is a cultural experience and celebration of the blended cultures that evolved through the diaspora of enslaved Africans taken to the Americas and Caribbean. We invite everyone to celebrate our shared history, food and music, like no other for Black History Month and Reggae Month”, Commissioner Davis declared.